Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (successful), (Mr. Iohn Gray Restored S. Pemberthe, Sep. 18, 1785) fitted with silver loop suspension, good very fine and a scarce early issue £250-300

The following details are taken from the Annual Reports of the Royal Humane Society for the Years 1785 and 1786:

‘Case 501. John Gray presents respects to Dr. Hawes, and Dr. Lettsom and has sent a particular account of a successful Case, which afforded great satisfaction to several creditable persons who were witnesses of the restoration of an apparent corpse to life.

On the 8th of September, 1785, in the afternoon, about the time of high water, Samson Pember accidentally fell into the river Thames, in a depth of water between nine and ten feet, near Rotherhithe Church, and was under water upwards of ten minutes. Mr. Russell being upon the spot, immediately ran to a public house near Church-stairs, and brought the grapling irons, and made some fruitless attempts, being fearful, and not knowing how to use them properly, while others ran into the yards for boat hooks; and having got two, but finding them not long enough for the depth of water, they got a third much longer, and by that means found him and brought him up with some difficulty, at a great distance from the place where he fell in, by reason of the tide. He was conveyed to Mr. French’s, a public house just by: they got his wet clothes off, and wrapped him in a blanket. When I entered the room, they had placed him upon a table, and opened the windows. He had all the appearance of death; was quite motionless; his face livid, and his body cold.

Upon elevating his head I found him breathe more freely; I put a feather down his throat, in order to stimulate nature by puking, which had the desired effect. I gave him a little warm brandy and water, which he swallowed with much difficulty, putting him into a warm bed, and keeping a warming-pan with hot coals moving gently over his body, and continuing the bottles with hot water upwards of an hour, when he was greatly convulsed, and cried and screamed violently at intervals, starting up in bed with his eyes fixed, and looking wild, but not any way sensible. Warmth and pulsation being now perceptible, I left him, and returned in about half an hour, taking with me a little volatile julep, when he seemed more composed, and took two spoonfuls of the julep, which he wanted to evade. I told him if he did not comply I must bleed him, on which he cried, “I will take it.” I called on him the next morning, and found him perfectly well. He can give no account of his falling into the water, nor any circumstance relating to the accident. I am, with esteem, your’s, &c., J. Gray, Medical Assistant.’